I’m pretty sure at this point, everyone has used a bath bomb. Because they are amazing! However, do you have a bath bomb recipe? If not, I got you! Below is a step by step guide on how to make them and a bath bomb recipe.

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Fact: Bath Bombs Make Baths Better!

One of my favorite things to do to relax is taking a long hot bath. Seriously, it just relaxes me. Adding a bath bomb to the bath, just takes it up a level. The bath bomb that I will be showing is a Champagne fragrance with pink rose petals on the top.

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Baking Soda & Citric Acid

These are the two most important ingredients in a bath bomb recipe. When the baking soda and citric acid get wet, they cause a chemical reaction, which is what makes bath bombs fizz.

Think of when you would make a volcano in grade school with baking soda and vinegar. This is the same idea, just with dry ingredients. Below is an image of a little bit of the bath bomb crumbs when I add water to it.

SLSA

Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSA) is used to create some bubbling in the bath. This ingredient is optional, I add it because I am extra. The more bubbles, color and scent, the better the bath bombs are in my opinion.

Feel free to leave this one out if you don’t already have it.

Polysorbate 80

Polysorbate 80 is an emulsifier. It is used so that the oils you add are able to mix into the water instead of just weirdly sitting on top of the bath water. It also prevents the oil from sitting on the bottom of the tub when you drain it. Lol forget this ingredient and your tub will get pretty slippery.

When you use polysorbate 80, you will notice that the bath water feels softer, because it has oil mixed into it.

Olive Oil

I like to use olive oil in my bath bombs. I love the way it makes my skin feel, it’s pretty inexpensive and most people already have it in their cupboard.

You can swap this out for any carrier oil that you would like.

Botanicals / Extras

This is the fun part of bath bombs. There are so many different things that you can use to enhance them.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Lavender
Mint
Rose Petals
Oatmeal
Epsom Salt
Biodegradable Glitter

Colorant

When I first started making bath bombs, I would use mica powder. No matter how much I used, it never seemed to color my bath. You want to make sure that you use a colorant that is suitable for bath bombs.

The two types of colorant that I use are “Da Bomb” and “Lake Dyes”. Da Bomb is liquid and the lake dye that I use is powder.

Rubbing Alcohol or Witch Hazel

You will need to spray the mixture with either rubbing alcohol or witch hazel. I seriously don’t have a preference between the two. Neither one is expensive and they both work about the same. I would just use whatever one you have on hand.

Just be sure to put it in a spray bottle. The small spray bottles that I use, I found at the dollar tree. For $1 you get two small bottles with a flip disc lid (like the one used in my Makeup Brush Cleaner) and the spray bottle.

How to Make Bath Bombs

Please wear rubber gloves if you are using colorant. I learned that one the hard way!

1: You are going to measure out all of your dry ingredients and mixing them together. If you use SLSA, be sure to use caution and wear a face mask, as the small particles can be an irritant.

2: Mix the polysorbate 80, olive oil, fragrance oil and colorant together.

putting da bomb colorant into liquid bath bombs ingredients

After you mix it all together, it will look like this.

3: Mix the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients.

4: Spray the mixture with you rubbing alcohol or witch hazel. You might notice that when you spray it, it fizzes up a little. That’s fine, just give it a few sprays and mix. Remember, that you can always add more if need be.

spray bath bomb ingredients with witch hazel

After you mix it up well, you need to test the consistency. To do this, you will squeeze some of the mixture in your hand. Then drop it into the bowl from about 6-8 inches. If it stays together, it is all set to put into the mold. If it crumbles, you will need to spray it a little more.

5: If you are adding anything extra to the top of your bath bomb, you will put it in one side of the mold, like I did with the rose petals.

6: Fill both sides of the bath bomb mold until they are overflowing, then carefully put it together.

7: Squeeze the mold together.

8: Then flip the mold with the bottom side facing up. Remove that half of the mold. Set down and carefully remove the top of the bath bomb mold.

9: Allow to dry for 24-48 hours. And Enjoy!

Or, wrap them up for later or to give as a gift!

Print Recipe

Bath Bomb Recipe

Learn how to make your own bath bombs at home and start saving tons of money.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Servings: 3 Bath Bombs

Cost: $5

Equipment

2 mixing bowls
Scale to weight ingredients
Gloves
Bath bombs mold – or you can use a cupcake pan

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

5.0 Ounces Baking Soda
2.5 Ounces Citric Acid
1.5 Ounces Epsom Salt
.25 Ounces SLSA

Wet Ingredients

.10 Ounces Polysorbate 80
.25 Ounces Olive Oil
.20` Ounces Fragrance Oil or Essential Oil
4.0 Drops Colorant – I used 4 drops of red for a pink color
Rubbing Alcohol or Witch Hazel – Put it in a spray bottle

Instructions

You are going to measure out all of your dry ingredients and mixing them together. If you use SLSA, be sure to use caution and wear a face mask, as the small particles can be an irritant.
Mix the polysorbate 80, olive oil, fragrance oil and colorant together.
Mix the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients.
Spray the mixture with you rubbing alcohol or witch hazel. You might notice that when you spray it, it fizzes up a little. That's fine, just give it a few sprays and mix. Remember, that you can always add more if need be.
After you mix it up well, you need to test the consistency. To do this, you will squeeze some of the mixture in your hand. Then drop it into the bowl from about 6-8 inches. If it stays together, it is all set to put into the mold. If it crumbles, you will need to spray it a little more.
If you are adding anything extra to the top of your bath bomb, you will put it in one side of the mold, like I did with the rose petals.
Fill both sides of the bath bomb mold until they are overflowing, then carefully put it together.
Squeeze the mold together.
Then flip the mold with the bottom side facing up. Remove that half of the mold. Set down and carefully remove the top of the bath bomb mold.
Allow to dry for 24-48 hours. And Enjoy!
Or wrap them up and give as a gift!

Notes

Be sure to wear gloves to avoid staining your hands.